About Upson beacon. (Thomaston, Ga.) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2024)
Page 2A UPSON BEACON lining Uglil & Krrplng Wr Funeral Notices Wednesday, March 20, 2024 Mrs. Ruth Miller Bettis Mrs. Ruth Miller Bettis, age 90, died Friday, March 15, 2024, at Brightmoor Nursing Center. Mrs. Bettis was born May 5,1933, in Thomaston, to the late George H. Miller and the late Ruth West moreland Miller. She worked in accounts payable for many years and was a member of Antioch Meth odist Church. Mrs. Bettis was a sweet, loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. In addition to her par ents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Tommy A. Bettis; and daughter, Carla Bettis Boster. Survivors include her daughters, Mrs. Marla Bet tis (Jeff) Wiles of Kennesaw, Mrs. Wanda Bettis (Phil) Moore of Newnan, and Mrs. Seleta Bettis Champagne of Jackson; brother, Mr. John (Sandi) Miller of Thomas ton; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Graveside services were held Monday, March 18, from Crystal Hill Cemetery. You may sign the online guest book and share your own special thoughts with Mrs. Bettis’ family by visit ing the Coggins Funeral Home website at cogginsfu- neralhome.com. Coggins Funeral Home in Thomas ton has the privilege of as sisting the family. Mr. Jamie Little Mr. Jamie Little, age 61, of Washington Street, passed Thursday, March 7, 2024. Funeral services were held Saturday, March 16, at Friendship Baptist Church. Pastor Rickey Wright offici ated, assisted by Pastor Jimmy Lyons, Pastor Pat rick Allen, Minister Bennie BARNESVILLE MARBLE 8 GRANITE M COMP\M EST. 1908 DESIGNERS & MANUFACTURERS OF MARBLE, GRANITE & BRONZE MEMORIALS RAILROAD & MAIN STREET • BARNESVILLE 770-358-1470 WWW.BARNESVILLEMARBLE.COM. FLETCHER-DAY 05funeral ( ^€ome Since 1893 Obituary Line (706) 648-0008 or go to www.fletcherdayfuneralhome.com for up-to-date information Crystal Hill Monument Co. Let us help you create a fitting tribute to a loved one. 706-647-9685 A division of Coggins Funeral Home Call Ryan Fulghum or Kenny Coggins 24-Hour Obituary Line (fall anytime - day or niyld 706-648-1111 Coggins Funeral FIome 321 Hannah's Mill Rd. - Thomaston - 706-647-9681 www.cogginsfuneralhome.com The Upson Beacon (ISSN or USPS 25625) March 20,2024 - Volume 17, Number 12 Published Weekly by Upson Newspapers, Inc. 219 Thomas Street, Thomaston, CA 30286. P: 706-646-2382 Subscription Price: $35 Per Year in Upson County $49 Per Year in State; $59 Per Year out of State Periodicals Postage Pending or Paid at Thomaston, GA Postmaster: Please send address changes to The Upson Beacon, 219 Thomas Street, Thomaston, Ga 30286 Debbie McClain Publisher & Advertising Director ■ dlord@upsonbeacon.com Bridge Turner General Manager & Editor in Chief ■ bturner@upsonbeacon.com Luke Haney Editor & Digital Media Coordinator ■ lhaney@upsonbeacon.com Kensie Adams Marketing & Sales Manager ■ kadams@upsonbeacon.com Mandi Mitcham Advertising Sales Manager ■ mmitcham@upsonbeacon.com lean Render Office Manager & Human Resources ■ jrender@upsonbeacon.com Andrew Carroll Sports Editor ■ acarroll@upsonbeacon.com The Upson Beacon is proudly published for the citizens of Upson County by Upson Newspapers, Inc., locally owned and operated by Debbie McClain and Bridge Turner. Our goal is to produce quality, community-oriented publications of which our readers can be proud. We will attain that goal through diligence, teamwork, and dedication to printing the truth in an accurate, fair, balanced, and objective manner. Policies: Signed letters to the editor are welcomed and encouraged. We do not edit for content, only grammar, spelling, and punctuation when necessary, as designated by Associated Press style guidelines. Unsigned, libelous, or profane letters will not be published. Please limit letters to 400 words or less and to only two letters per month. Liability for errors in advertising will not exceed the space occupied by the error. We reserve the right to edit all submitted materials. Harris, and Minister Alan Wyche. Interment was in the Fellowship Cemetery. Jamie was a member of Mary Lizzie Baptist Church. He was educated in the pub lic school of Upson County and graduated from R.E. Lee Institute. After high school, he attended Flint River Technical College and earned his barber license. He was formerly employed by Thomaston Mills, Mar tha Mills, and Upson County Sheriff s Office. He was survived by his father, Mr. Albert (Eloise) Allen; two children, Ms. Sherrika Dubinion and Mr. Malik Buckle; one grand son, Khaizer Woodard; one brother, Mr. Jeff (Jennifer) Little; other sisters and brothers, Mrs. Ethel (May nard) White, Mr. Larry (Cora) Little, Mr. Darian (Bertina) Little, all of Thom aston, Mr. Bobby Risper of Griffin, Mr. Joseph (Marcia) Little of Warner Robins, Mr. Roderick Winfrey of Colum bus, Mrs. Vickie Dawson, Mr. Alex Allen, Ms. Erica Allen, Mrs. Beverly (Tim) Edmondson , Mr. Otha (Quinitha) Searcy, and Mr. Stanley Smith, all of Thom aston; aunts and uncles, Mrs. Dorothy Little, Rev. Patrick (Cynthia) Allen, Mr. James Allen, all of Thomas ton, Mr. George (Shelia) Allen of Atlanta, and Minis ter Debra (Paul) Settles of Decatur; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives and friends. Trice Funeral Home was in charge of the arrange ments. Mrs. Alma B. Stephens McCray Mrs. Alma B. Stephens McCray, age 97, of Knoxville Street in Culloden, passed at her residence Monday, March 11, 2024. Funeral services were held Sunday, March 17, at Orange Grove Baptist Church. Pastor Roger Parris officiated, assisted by Pastor Michael Davis and Evangel ist Sandra T. Trice. Inter ment was in King's Hill Cemetery. Mrs. McCray was edu cated in the public schools of Monroe County and was formerly employed by Bibb Mill-Lorsyth Plant. She was a long-time and faithful member of Orange Grove Baptist Church. She was survived by one son, Mr. Willie Thomas (Mary) McCray, Jr. of Cul loden; two grandchildren, Mr. Jeffery Lamar McCray and Mr. Jason Bernard McCray; three great-grand children; and several nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives and friends. Trice Luneral Home was in charge of the arrange ments. Ms. Marilyn L. Dickerson Ms. Marilyn L. Dicker- son, age 75, of Thomaston, died Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Brightmoor Hos pice in Griffin. Luneral services for Ms. Dickerson were held Tues day, March 19, at 4 p.m., in the chapel of Lletcher-Day Luneral Home. Rev. Bryan McPherson and Rev. Ted Kandler officiated, and in terment followed in South- view Cemetery. The family received friends from 3-4 p.m. prior to the service at Fletcher-Day Funeral Home. Ms. Dickerson was born on Nov. 7, 1948, in Macon, the only child of the late Jo seph Edward Dickerson and the late Lorena Spillers Dickerson. She attained her master's degree, and she served as a media specialist with the Thomaston-Upson Board of Education for 30 years until her retirement in 2000. She was active in Relay for Life for many years and Thomaston- Upson Retired Educators, where she had served as treasurer. Ms. Dickerson was a member of Thomaston Lirst Baptist Church, where she was involved with WMU and was a member of The Gleaners Sunday school class. Ms. Dickerson is sur vived by her cousins, Gwen (Wesley) Brown, Susan (Tommy) Parham, Evelyn Tomberlin, Lynn (Bill) Shaver, Dr. Johnny (La- chelle) Brown, Philip (Lynn) Lallin, Kristi (Jeff) Rabon, Sherri (Bo) Sims, A1 (Rhonda) Curry, Sharon (Mark) Hopkins, and Kim (David) Millen; and her spe cial friends, Jimmie Stout, Hugh Mangham, and Brenda Showferty. Also sur viving are many extended family. In addition to her par ents, Ms. Dickerson was preceded in death by her cousins, Phyllis (Melvin) Fallin and Albert Curry. Those desiring may make memorial contrib utions to Thomaston-Upson Retired Educators Scholar ship Lund, c/o Pat Smith, 105 Hill Street, Thomaston, GA 30286. Fletcher-Day Funeral Home is in charge of all ar rangements. Condolences and remembrances may be expressed at fletcherdayfu- neralhome.com. Mr. Mather Carroll McDuffie Mr. Mather Carroll McDuffie, age 87, of Thom aston, died Thursday, March 14, 2024, at River side Health and Rehab. Mr. McDuffie was born May 18, 1936, in Milan, to the late Mather McDuffie and the late Mary Ellington. He worked as a shift fore man for B.L. Goodrich Mill for many years. He loved country music. Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Madge Cone McDuffie of Thomaston; daughter, Mrs. Regina (Neal) Thompson of Thom aston; son, Mr. Craig (Kathy) McDuffie of La- Grange; three grandchil dren; and two great-grandchildren. Luneral services were held Saturday March 16, from the chapel of Coggins Luneral Home. Burial fol lowed in Crystal Hill Ceme tery. The family received friends at Coggins Luneral Home Saturday, March 16. You may sign the online guest book and share your own special thoughts with Mr. McDuffie’s family by visiting the Coggins Luneral Home website at cogginsfu- neralhome.com. Coggins Luneral Home in Thomas ton has the privilege of as sisting the family. Mr. Matthew "Phat Matt" Scott Shavers Mr. Matthew "Phat Matt" Scott Shavers, age 38, of Thomaston, died Sunday, March 17, 2024, at his res idence. Matthew was born Aug. 30, 1985, in Thomaston, to Floyd Scott Shavers and Angie Lynn Hemby Crider. He was a truck driver with Quality Trucking in Barnes- ville. Survivors include his mother, Angie (Tim Ham mond) Crider; father, Scott (Valerie) Shavers; brother, James Dale Shavers; sisters, Jessica (Dillon Shaw) Marie Russell and Alex (Jacob) Caldwell; aunt, Julie Teal; uncle, Ashley (Katherine) Shavers; nieces, Cara Trusty, Charlotte Caldwell, and Lauren Caldwell; and cousins, Rynleigh Teal, Rylee Teal, Stephen Teal, Hunter Teal, Taylor Teal, and Clayton Teal. The family will have a memorial service at a later date. You may sign the online guest book and share your own special thoughts with Mr. Shavers’ family by visit ing the Coggins Luneral Home website at cogginsfu- neralhome.com. Coggins Luneral Home in Thomas ton has the privilege of as sisting the family. April 1 Deadline to File Homestead Exemptions, Office Closed Thursday Monday, April 1 is the deadline to file for homestead exemptions, according to a re minder from Upson County Tax Commis sioner Andy Chastain. Homestead taxpayers who turned 62 or 65 in 2023 should apply for additional home stead exemptions as well, Chastain said. Applications for homestead exemptions should be completed in the tax assessor’s of fice, located upstairs in the courthouse annex in downtown Thomaston. The tag office will be closed on Thursday, March 21 for required clerk training, accord ing to Chastain. The office will reopen on Fri day, March 22 for normal hours of operation. TPD Reports Stolen Truck A couple who had moved to Thomaston from Michigan only four days prior reported the theft of their 2023 Ram 1500 pickup truck from a residence on West County Road last week, according to a Thomaston Police De partment report. The couple said they drove the truck around 9:30-10 p.m. March 10, then awoke around 2:45 a.m. March 11 to find the truck was missing. The man said there is only one key to the vehicle, and it was in his possession. They said all their per sonal belongings were lo cated inside the pickup truck, which is valued at approximately $38,000. Unrelated arrests and charges reported by TPD include the following: Joseph Woolf - child molestation. Benjamin Franklin Walker - aggravated as sault, kidnapping, felony theft by taking, misde meanor cruelty to chil dren in the third degree, and misdemeanor proba tion violation (battery, Family Violence Act). Giovanna E. Barton - cruelty to children (crim inal negligence/causes ex cessive physical/mental pain) in the second degree and simple battery (FVA). Daphne Johanna Also- brooks - illegal posses sion of a controlled substance and misde meanor theft by shoplift ing. Bryston Paul Minyard - possession of meth- amphetamine and posses sion of a firearm during commission of certain crimes. Jeannie R. Ekornaas - possession of meth and possession of a firearm or knife during commission of or attempt to commit certain felonies. 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